SANSKRITI KENDRA

ARCHITECT : Upal Ghosh

 INTRODUCTION
• Sanskriti Kendra is a symbol of Sanskriti's involvement in activities relating to art, craft,
literature, the performing arts, and social work. Although diverse on the surface, these
activities are different facets of a single vibrant culture rooted in Indian soil but universal in its
outlook. Sanskriti Kendra is, thus, a manifestation of Sanskriti's philosophy of looking at
apparently different facets as parts of a larger organic whole.
• It is a cultural centre where artists and sculptors, writers and musicians, and village craftsmen, CRAFTSPERSON WORKING
practise their arts in tranquil surroundings that engage the mind with the imagery of the idyllic
pastoral countryside with its manmade interventions.
• Sanskriti Pratishthan, is an Indian not-for-profit cultural organization that helps cultivate an
environment for preservation and promotion of India's artistic and cultural resources.
• The buildings are semi-rustic in appearance, with ample space between them for strolling or
catching a breath of fresh air- but not so far apart as to engender a sense of isolation.
• The grounds, filled with a profusion of trees, present a picture of seemingly organic growth.
• Anand Gram, as the complex is called, is just that - a village that makes the visitor happy.
• Sanskriti Pratishthan, is an Indian not-for-profit cultural organization that helps cultivate an
environment for preservation and promotion of India's artistic and cultural resources.

POTTERY

PAINTING ACTIVITY
CHILDREN WORKSHOPS
PEACEFUL NATURAL ENVIRONMENT FOR
ARTISTS
ORIGIN
•Sanskriti Kendra, set up by Sanskriti Pratishthan and inaugurated on 31st January 1993.
•Sanskriti literally means 'the process of cultivating', the foundation has been working towards cultivating an
environment for the preservation and development of the artistic and cultural resources not only of India but of the
world as a whole. The belief in the positive function of culture as a universal and unifying force is intrinsic to sanskriti.
Sanskriti has grown organically and embraced a wider variety of activities and creative endeavors not only from India
but all over the world. As an institute its watchword is to conserve and perpetuate a tradition that is vital and vibrant, as
ancient as it is contemporary, as beautiful as it is functional, as elegant as it is simple and as Indian as it is universal.
Sanskriti is rooted in the soil of life and its inexorable and intrinsic sense of beauty. Its faith is in culture as a catalyst and
as part of everyday life and not as an exclusive ivory tower concept.
• O.P.Jain , a resident of Delhi and a long time collector of antiquities, had a barren seven acre space of land in the
outskirts of Delhi's mehrauli-gurgaon road. He planned to transform this plot into a space for artists to work and
exchange their ideas. For this project, he chose his long time friend and architect Upal Ghosh ( Ghosh had previously
designed Jain’s family home). Ghosh proposed bringing ‘shantiniketan to Delhi’, creating an idyllic village that would
have a flowing river and trees for artists to work under, just as Tagore had envisaged years ago. A special feature of
the plan is meandering rainwater channel Ghosh devised, which becomes the focal point of the complex.
•Over the years many extensions were built with its growing popularity and importance. An unconventional auditorium
and a meditation centre are also in the pipeline.
•The importance of the complex lies in its honest formulation of creating a natural, rural environment where
architectural expression emphasizes restraint over exuberance.

CONCEPT
• ARCHITECT : Upal Ghosh
• A living, creative complex, the Kendra is intended to provide temporary residential and working space to both
traditional and contemporary artists and craftspersons and in doing so, it aims to promote interaction between the two.
Thus the complex includes in addition to two museums, an open-air auditorium, conference hall and studio apartments.
For rural craftspersons, a separate cluster of huts with individual cooking facilities provided.
•All spaces are scattered in a manner of a village dwelling. Over two thousand trees were planted across the plot with a
banyan tree at the entrance. Professor Mohammad Shaheer was responsible for the landscape architecture of the
complex.
 SITE LOCATION
LOCATION : ANANDGRAM QUTAB ( MEHRAULI)
• The Sanskriti Kendra is located at anandgram, in the qutab mehrauli on the outskirts of Delhi.
• The Kendra is spread over 3 hectares in the foot hills of the aravalli range.
• Located amidst farmhouses, the peaceful environments is idyllic for the creative activities at the Kendra.
ACCESSIBILITY
The Kendra is accessible from mehrauli-gurgaon road. The India Gandhi international airport is located 12
km from the sanskriti Kendra and new Delhi railway station or the old Delhi railway station, are about 20
km from the Kendra.
BUILT VS OPEN
Architect says…
“The complex manifestation of built form in a warm climate, where between closed-box and open to sky, there lies in a whole continuum of
zones, with varying definitions and varying degrees of protection. One steps out of the box to lend oneself in a verandah from which
one moves into a courtyard and then under a tree, and beyond onto a terrace covered by a bamboo pergola, and then perhaps back
onto a balcony and so on. The boundaries between these zones are not formal and sharply demarcated, but easy and amorphous.
Subtle modulations of light, of the quality of ambient air, register each transitions on our senses…”

CIRCULATION AND MOVEMENT

Movement patterns are very clear
Service road runs on the periphery of the site.

DISTRIBUTION OF SPACES
1.Public spaces like museums & office-the
governing body comes first with entry.
2.Sitting spaces comes next having a little bit
privacy by planting trees.
3.Workspaces : Studios and dormitories- a
very personal spaces are away from the public
spaces to avoid any kind of distaction allowing
artists to work with concentration in a very
natural & fresh environment.
4.Services like laundry, washing are placed at
the end of the site away from public
movement along the service road.

SERVICES
 LANDSCAPING
• Landscape supervised by landscape architect Mohammad Shaheer.
• The Kendra being spread over 3 hectares on the foothills of the aravalli range, landscape is thus recognized as
focal to the scheme. No activity that would disturb the basic character of the land was undertaken.
Landscape elements
• A judicious mix of formality and informality, both in plant and hard landscape.
• Geometric forms, pavements, paths and hedges intersperse the lawns, vans, and the Nahar and the
meandering parks.
• Approximately two thousand trees have been planted to predominate the complex.
• The rainwater drainage channel that runs down the center, and existing clumps of trees become the major
structuring elements of the layout plan. The rainwater channel has been converted into a linear water body A WOODEN PIGEON HOUSE
(The Nahar). This starts from a semi-circular pool fed by water attention pond, passed under a couple of foot FROM GUJARAT
bridges, washes up the steps of Ghats on either sided, and ends at the Manch. Excess water is run off through
a by pass drain.

BY-PASS DRAIN
THE RAINWATER DRAINAGE CHANNEL

KUND NEAR THE TEXTILE

MUSEUM

WATER POND PROVIDING

SERENE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE
STUDIOS
 DISTRIBUTION OF THE ACTIVITIES
BAITHAK UPPER GROUND
FLOOR
• The baithak is the common room of the Kendra,
housing facilities such as the dining room, conference LOWER
room, library, computer room and office. A two- GROUND
storeyed structure, it is internally connected, both FLOOR
visually and physically by a double height covered CONFERENCE
court with steps so configured that they can be used HALL
as tiered seating during conferences, etc.
• WINDOW IN
FLOW OF SPACES : The building can be entered from
THE OFFICE
various levels. Except the office and the library, all HAVING
other spaces flow into each other giving the interior a ENTRANCE
very open feeling. VIEW FOR
HAVING
• OFFICE AT HIGHER LVL : In keeping with its
CONTOL
supervisory role the office has been strategically
placed at a higher level overlooking the entire THE OFFICE LOCATED AT PRIME
LOCATION AT A HIGHER LEVEL AND THE OTHER
complex. HAVING WINOWS AT ALL THE SIDES WINDOW
• PLAY WITH LEVELS : The architect has also played with TO HAVE CONTROL OVER THE SITE HAVING VIEW
levels within the building maintaining smooth OF OTHER PART
movement horizontally as well as vertically. OF THE SITE

N •ALL THE AREAS ARE PLACED ALONG THE

SOUTH SIDE AS TO HAVE ADVANTAGE OF
SUN AS THE SUN DIRECTLY ENTERS THE
ROOM THROUGHOUT THE DAY IN WINTERS
.
• THE BUILDING IS MADE KEEPING IN MIND
GREEN ARCHITECTURE TO HAVE MORE OF
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT - FRESH AIR TO
BREATHE IN AND MORE OF NATURAL
LIGHTING.
•BUILDING IS PLANNED IN A STAGGERED
FORM TO HAVE MUTUAL SHADING
FOLLOWING GREEN PRINCIPLES.
HAVELI
• This is the residence of O.P.Jain, the moving force behind the organization, the plan is
based on six and a half overlapping squares with intersecting pyramidal roofs.
•The dining, living, bedroom and the kitchen are arranged around an aangan (courtyard).
•The most striking feature is the meticulously restored old entrance door from Rajasthan
from where one gets the first glimpse of the aangan - a perfect square patch of green with HAVELI Courtyard

an equally geometric rectangle of water along one side.

STUDIOS
•There are eight studios in two blocks placed along the Nahar
where participants with an urban background can live and work.
•The units are small and simple but provide a variety of spaces,
both indoor and outdoor.
•These are located away from other built forms that allows artists
to concentrate on their work.
GREEN ARCHITECTURE
•WORKSPACE AND THE LIVING AREAS GET NORTH
LIGHT AS NORTH SIDE GETS ONLY LIGHT
THROUGHOUT THE DAY WITHOUT ANY HEAT SO
IT IS COOLER.
•BEDROOMS , DINING-KITCHEN AND THE SITTING
AREAS ALONG WITH A SEPARATE PERSONAL
GARDEN ARE FACING SOUTH SIDE , THUS GET
MORE SUN(HEAT & LIGHT) IN WINTERS AND
LESSER IN SUMMERS.

•STUDIOS ARE LOCATED IN THE CALM AREA

SURROUNDED BY GREENERY AND AWAY FROM ANY
BUILT FORM TO MAINTAIN PRIVACY AND PROVIDING
ENVIRONMENT TO CONCENTRATE.
•WATER BODY NEARBY ADD TO ITS BEAUTIFUL
N ENVIRONMENT.
 CERAMIC CENTRE

The Sanskriti - Delhi Blue Ceramic center – the only one of its kind in India - plays host
to diverse ceramic activities and interactions, both national and international. The
programs offered include residencies, classes, interactive workshops for ceramicists,
talks, slide shows, firings and demonstrations.
•Facilities at the Ceramic Centre The ceramic centre is well equipped with the
following types of wheels and furnaces:
•8 Kick wheels, 2 Painters wheels, 1 Electric wheel, 1 Wood Furnace, 2 Gas Furnaces
 EXHIBITION AREAS
• The Kendra incorporates two museums – the sanskriti museum of India terra-cotta and the Sanskriti museum of
everyday art. These, the most public of all the spaces, needed special attention for clarity of movements.
•The layout of spaces is such that a visitor moves from one exhibit to the next without repeating any.

MUSEUM OF INDIAN TERRA-COTTA

•A series of modular units, have been arranged around

landscaped courtyards.
•GOOD PLAY WITH TRANSTION OF SPACES : The
module, square in plan, has been used in various
forms – sometimes as just a platform, a room without
roof, a room with roof but no walls, and sometimes
totally enclosed with regular doors and windows . The
roof is always pyramidal as it suits the square plan and
blends well with the scale and rural setting.
•A majority of terracotta belonged to open and semi-
open environments.

From the common earthen pot that stores drinking water to giant-
sized cultic equestrian figures of rural Tamil deities of the Aiyyanar
cult, terracotta art occupies a central position in Indian life and
culture. Having had their existence always outside the rigid and
binding rules and regulations of the shilpshastras or the constituted
Hindu canons governing artistic expression, terracotta art enjoys
tremendous freedom in imagination and conception. Sanskriti
found it somewhat intriguing that in spite of their widespread
usage, antiquity, artistic merit and cultural significance, terracotta
objects have not been systematically collected.
 DISPLAY

OPEN DISPLAY SEMI-COVERED

DISPLAY

ENCLOSED DISPLAY
MUSEUM OF EVERYDAY ART
•Situated at the Sanskriti Kendra, Sanskriti Museum of Everyday Art
is a rich repository of about 2 000 objects of everyday life of
traditional India which show some sign of excellence in
craftsmanship, conception, design or ingenuity of pratical device. DISPLAY
•The collection includes folk and tribal sacred images, accessories
for rituals, lamps, incense burners, writing Materials, women's
toiletries, weights and measures, ovens and tongs, locks and
latches, apparatus for opium and cannabis, vessels, children's
accessories and kitchen implements.
•The museum of everyday art is housed in a building sunk partly
below ground and its roof is effectively used a outdoor exhibition
terraces for the terra-cotta museum.

TEXTILE MUSEUM THE MUSEUM OF

EVRYDAY ART SUNK
PARLTY BELOW GROUND
BY 1500 M.

TYPES OF DISPLAY

ENTRANCE

•TEXTILE MUSEUM IS HAVING THE TERRACE OF THE EVERYDAY

FULLY ENCLOSED DISPLAY KEPT IN STAINLESS STEEL ART MUSEUM SERVES AS THE
SYSTEM FOR THE PROTECTION DISPLAY BOARDSWITH DISPLAY AREA FOR ‘MUSEUM OF
OF THE MATERIAL. GLASS TO LOOK THROUGH. HANGING INDIAN TERACOTTA’.
 MATERIAL APPLICATION

• THE ARCHITECT UPAL GHOSH TOOK HIS VISUAL CUES FROM RURAL ARCHITECTURE BUT WANTED THE
BUILDINGS TO BE PRACTICAL AND LONG LASTING. HE THEREFORE CHOSE CEMENT THAT WAS MADE TO
LOOK LIKE MUD BRICKS WITH PYRAMIDAL TERRACOTTA TILED ROOFS TUHS PROVIDING A DESIGN THAT
COULD BE REPLICATED EASILY.
ANALISIS
• Building exhibits a perfect example of an environment suitable for a cultural setting.
•A building designed in the landscape, with the built form complementing the natural landform.
•Spaces are well articulated and the movement pattern provides a good experience to the visitors as he walks
from open to sky to semi-covered courts and finally into a covered space.
•The building holds a deserted look as the craftsmen are not generally seen at work. One would say that all the
environment lacks are the people. People hold a lot of importance; their presence not only enhances the festive
environment but also encourages the craftsmen displaying the work.